Agaricus

  Agaricus is a genus well known to the public due to the cultivated mushroom, Agaricus bisporus. A number of people also know the meadow mushroom, Agaricus campestris. Beyond these two, the picture tends to be pretty fuzzy. However, Agaricus is an abundant genus, remarkably well represented in the western U.S., especially the Southeastern U.S., and even in the drier portions of the midwest. The groups of species are reasonably clear cut with a small number situated around the cultivated mushroom, another small group around the meadow mushroom, a fairly large group centered around the forest inhabiting Agaricus silvicola, another around the diminutive yellow staining A. semotus, A. purpuellus, &c, another around the poisonous Agaricus xerocomus and A. placomyces, another around the horse mushroom, Agaricus arvensis, and finally the red staining, forest inhabiting Agaricus silvaticus group. Most of the Agaricus species fit reasonably well into these groups.
  However, certain Agaricus species pose problems. Agaricus pinyonensis and A. chionodermus are two such species and these are discussed later.

Bill Isaacs
1996-12-28
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dmw . 2o24-o1-28